A Word about Beauty and the Beast

Note: I wrote this as tactfully and honestly as I could. So please don't think I'm aiming this post at anyone or that I'm "attacking" anyone's beliefs. Honestly, I'm doing just the opposite. :)

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*takes a deep breath* Okay, so I've been debating about whether or not I should actually address this issue...but I feel like this is something I really need to say.

In case some of you haven't heard (which is nearly impossible, the way the media's been flaunting it), Disney decided to make the character LeFou gay in the new Beauty and the Beast movie.

Needless to say, this decision has created quite a commotion, especially amongst Christians. A lot of people--many of whom I know--have actually decided not to see the movie at all because of this. On the other hand, a lot of liberal newspapers are lauding this as the best decision Disney has ever made. You know, in the name of diversity and whatnot.

For me personally, it's something I've been thinking about...a lot. Not gonna lie, I was really upset when I found out. Like really. upset. Part of it may be the fact that I was already having a pretty bad day at the time, but even weeks (I think??) later, I'm still unhappy with it.

The thing is, this wouldn't even be an issue if they hadn't gone out of their way to make it one. I think that's what bugs me the most about the whole thing. Chances are, if the director hadn't made a point of saying LeFou had this "great gay moment" or whatever, no one would even know about it. It's subtle enough that it could just be construed as LeFou admiring Gaston--just like in the animated version. In fact, the composer of the movie's score, Alan Menken, actually said that. He was talking about how ridiculous this whole thing was and that he always saw LeFou as looking up to Gaston. He blames the journalist from a gay magazine for creating an issue out of it. (source)

Like I said, this is something I've been thinking and praying about for a while. I feel like some Christians who are boycotting it are (perhaps unintentionally) shaming other Christians who decide to see it, while other people are saying that those who avoid seeing the film are narrow-minded and stuck in the past.

BUT GUYS. Does this have to be something we "shame" people about? In the end, what we choose to do is a matter of conscience. I know of some Christians who have decided to still see it--and that's totally fine. If they don't feel convicted not to see it, then that's okay. That's their decision, between them and God.

I think most Christians can agree that they aren't thrilled about this decision. (Most but not all.) However, it really isn't something that we should judge people about if they choose to still see the film. I've seen some people actually telling other people that they probably shouldn't see the movie now because of this...and that just makes me a little irritated. Because yes, I don't approve of this decision. But that doesn't give other people the right to command my conscience. 'Cause, guys--it's a matter of conscience in the end. If we feel convicted not to see it, that's fine. But if not, other people should respect that decision.

One other thing I wanted to point out is that just because we see a movie with something like a gay character in it doesn't mean we approve of it. Seriously, how many Christians do you think have seen movies with language in it? Does that mean that we support the use of bad language just because we saw the movie in theaters? Not at all. I'm very sensitive to language in movies and books, yet even I have seen a couple movies in theaters that had language in them. However, just because I saw the films doesn't mean I approve of all the content.

So I guess what I'm trying to say here is this: let's give each other some respect. I'm still really disappointed about the producer's announcement, but I haven't decided whether I'm seeing the movie or not. My family is leaning towards not seeing it, but I just haven't felt convicted not to. However, whatever my decision may be in the end, we as Christians can agree on one thing: we are brothers and sisters in Christ and nothing can change that.

Let's remember to love each other. And hey, if I end up seeing Beauty and the Beast, I'll let you all know how it is. ;)

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

~ Ephesians 4:3-6 ~

WELL, I DID IT. I posted about something controversial. *coughs nervously* What are you guys doing? Are you still planning on seeing the movie or not? (And please tell me you're not offended because that's the exact opposite of my intentions!)

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comments

Oooooohhhhh, Mary. Thank you so much for this.I have decided not to see the film - mostly because I said as soon as I heard they were making it, "If Disney does bad stuff to my movie, I'm not going to see it." However, I won't judge anyone who is - I just think we need to be very careful with our consciences. I am so not offended. It's great to see voices of reason surrounding this issue, because there's so few of them. *hugs* I don't know that I agree with EVERYTHING you've said, but that's okay. Thank you for being brave enough to write about this.

*is very late replying to all these comments* Sorry, all! Thank you for your patience. :)

And I totally respect that decision! It is a matter of conscience, and if you feel like seeing it would violate your convictions, that's completely fine. I'm glad that you're standing on your convictions. :)

Glad to know that I did a decent job with this post! It was kind of scary pressing the "publish" button on the post, not going to lie. I don't generally talk about controversial things, but I felt like this was something that really needed to be said.

*hugs you* so happy you posted about this. I have a lot of the same thoughts. In life I am lately trying to start figuring out what is either wrong, conscious decision, or just me being judgemental. (I had no idea about all the controversy of thr "gay moment" until a few days ago) Like you said, it's everyone's personal decision, and just cause we see it doesn't mean we agree with it.

Thank you!! I completely agree! Sometimes, it's really difficult being discerning and trying to make good decisions about things like this. But regardless of our own opinions, showing other people respect reveals a lot of maturity. :)

I know what you mean; I had similar feelings when someone told me about this too. I think you wrote this quite tactfully. :)

I have no problem with Christians boycotting things. We do have differing convictions about when to do so, but this is okay, like you said, so long as you are truly listening to God's leading. Unfortunately it does get out of hand so quickly.

I believe there are things out there that truly shouldn't be seen/listened to/read because it blatantly dishonors God, but then there are issues like this Disney movie that seem more of a grey area. Mostly, in my personal opinion, because /almost/ everything we hear now is actually an opinion and not a factual account of what happens. I never like it when people jump up and start banning and boycotting without looking at the facts or truly knowing what something is about. ;) I know for certain there are movies or shows that blatantly flaunt the homosexuality, and I know there are movies or shows that have a "token" episode or moment that is easy to skip or run through for my personal preference. I also had heard that Finding Dory has a potentially gay fish, but upon watching it myself didn't find anything.

All of that that to say, I'm a bit more on the "wait and see" fence like yourself. :) It may come to nothing obvious, or it may be entirely inappropriate for children. After the movie comes out, and I know for sure, then I will decide if it's something worth putting a ban on for me, personally, or the kids I take care of. :)

Thank you so much! It's such a relief to know that most people thought I handled this well. :)

Yes, I agree! There are definitely movies and such that I don't support, but in cases like this, it's harder to know what to do. Media that outright glamorizes/showcases things that I morally don't feel comfortable viewing is a lot easier to make a decision about not seeing.

From what I've heard, the "gay scene" ended up being very minor, something that really wouldn't even be noticed by most people if they hadn't made a big deal out of it. I still haven't made a decision on whether or not to see it, but at this point, I'll probably wait to see it on DVD, if at all.

No worries! You had some great points to make. Glad that my post didn't come across as offensive to most people. ^_^

I was very disappointed when I found out Disney was making LeFou gay. It could confuse small children who go to watch the movie, and I think overall Disney has just given into pressure from the LGBT community. I don't know if I'm going to watch the movie yet. I need to think and pray about it more and also discuss it with my parents. But I completely agree with everything you said in this post! I respect some of my friends' decisions not to watch it, and I also totally understand why some of my other friends will. Also, the Bible says love your enemies. So I hope Christians who are not seeing it will not be rude or mean if they are asked why they are boycotting the movie.

It was definitely a disappointment, to be sure. Overall, it seems like the scenes just hinted at things that kids probably wouldn't pick up...however, I still would hesitate taking children to see it. It does make me wonder if Disney will take BatB's success in the box office as a stamp of approval to put more homosexual characters in their movies...

That's completely fine! I agree that this is definitely a personal decision, which may end up looking different for different people. Respecting others' opinions is always important. :)

EXACTLY MY THOUGHTS!! To be honest, I hadn't heard about this until this post (I'm not exactly plugged into...anything), but I definitely agree. Even if I don't agree with the choice or the lifestyle, that doesn't mean that I'm going to shun those who do or bash anyone who decides to see it or not see it for a specific reason. God calls us to love all. ALL. And I'm sticking to that. XD Personally, I'm still excited to see the movie, despite that aspect of it.

Lol, I didn't know about it until my friends told me. (I live in a hobbit hole where news doesn't typically infiltrate, so I rely on other people to tell me these things. XD) Yes! That's so true. We should remember that God wants us to love people, no matter their beliefs. We don't have to necessarily *agree* with them, but we should always treat them with kindness and consideration.

I'm quite annoyed with the whole "let's announce this just before the movie comes out" thing because it feels so much like a cheap publicity grab. Someone decided to make a big issue out of this.

I actually am not sure if I'm going to go see this in the theater or not, but it's not because of the Lafou issue -- it's because I'm really fond of Luke Evans, and I can't stand Gaston (he's one of my absolute most-hated fictional characters ever), so I'm really not looking forward to seeing an actor I like play a character I hate. Grrrrrr. Then again, maybe Luke Evans can transform this character I hate into someone more sympathetic? Sigh. I'm waiting for my best friend to see it first and let me know if I should go or not.

Haha, I was actually super excited when I saw he was cast as Gaston! He looks like he would do a SUPERB job, and from what I've heard, he did. (I saw that you did indeed see it, and I'm glad you liked his portrayal! Sometimes it's hard to see actors we like play characters we Do Not Like At All.)

WOW MARY. yes yes yes. so many good points in this post and I'm legit feeling the same way as you.. It's disappointing to realize we are growing up in a world that wants to LOUDLY accept things God is not pleased about.

THANK YOU, JU! I completely agree--it's sad that a lot of society thinks that going against God is okay. We just have to remember that God is always in control, and standing firm on what we believe is of the upmost importance. :)

I agree entirely with this! My dad was telling me about Disney saying that LeFou is gay. But before that? Nobody I knew mentioned it! So what's the difference between the animated version and the live action then? Can't people say that LeFou was gay from the start? Even after hearing about this, I will probably still go see the movie. Maaaaybe not full price though XD

I know, right? I've been wondering the same thing. I guess they could technically say that the original LeFou was gay if they wanted. It's just annoying that this is an issue that's pushed nearly everywhere you look.

I totally respect that! I might still see the movie, but I have no pressing desire at the moment. ;)

Thank you for posting this, Mary! I definitely agree with you, we all need to work on respecting each other's convictions more. *sigh*

Myself, I don't have any problems with seeing the movie; but I can also respect those who feel they shouldn't. At the same time, though, I do feel that those Christians who are issuing BLANKET condemnations--like, "you CANNOT watch this movie because it has a gay character in it"--are doing the wrong thing. Because that, to me, is suggesting that Christians as a group can/should completely shun the LGBT community and just pretend they don't exist . . . and that's so wrong!!!! We don't have a license to shun ANYBODY. That's not what our religion is about, at all. We're called to respect each and every human being and preach the Gospel to anybody. No exceptions. Shunning simply doesn't enter the picture.

YES! I agree 100%! It's so important to remember to show the love that God has bestowed upon us to others. Shunning people who disagree with us is not biblical at all. We can certainly disagree with others, but that doesn't mean that we should DISRESPECT them. We're all created equally, and God calls to love everyone.

*APPLAUDS* This is wonderful, Mary! THANK YOU for being brave and speaking up! I honestly can't think of a single thing I disagree with you on.

Like you, I was SO. UPSET. Beauty and the Beast is MY FAVORITE FAIRYTALE. And I grew up on the classic animated Disney version! When I heard rumors of them making a live action B&B, like, NEARLY 3 YEARS AGO I was SO ABSURDLY EXCITED, and have been waiting in anticipation SINCE. And I've loooooooooved all their other live action movies based off the classic animated ones (Maleficent, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, etc.). They've all been PERFECT. So I've just been bouncing off the ways waiting for my favorite story to be made!

.......And then this happened.

BUT. I'm trying to not let it get me down. I'm not planning on getting outraged until I've seen the movie myself. Like you said, it's probably just a big publicity stunt and not even THAT big of a thing in the movie. I mean, wasn't there supposedly be a gay someone in Finding Dory? And no one seemed to even notice. (I haven't seen that movie yet, but I haven't heard a single person I know talk about that, so I assume it wasn't a big thing.) I'm guessing it'll be the same with B&B. It's probably just a vaguely implied thing that will go over kids' heads. I'm hoping anyway!

Needless to say, I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO SEE IT. My family actually has plans to go Saturday. Heh. And I don't plan on judging it until I've seen it with my own eyes. Maybe I'm too casual about things, I don't know. Haha. But I pretty much never worry about things until I 100% know all the details. As long as I'm not fully informed, I basically never worry. #CasualOptimist Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes it's not. XD

But ANYWAYS. I'd probably be more worried about it if I was taking a young child. But my whole family is made up of adults, and we know what is right and wrong, we know what the Bible says, so it's not like we're going to be influenced by this movie. So, for us personally, I don't see anything wrong with it. But, like I said, if we had a child in the family I'd want to see it first to judge if it's suitable for an impressionable child, ya know? As you so eloquently said, it's between each person and God. It's a case-by-case thing. We should DEFINITELY not judge one another for our decisions either way! I'm perfectly fine if people don't want to go see it. That's good! But I don't think it's that big of a deal of us we are going to see it either.

I LOVE what you said about movies with language! YES. I think most of us watch things with some language here and there. But that DOES NOT MEAN we condone using language. Wonderful point!

Okay, this comment is becoming a monster. I just really love what you said and so admire you for SAYING it!

(Also, since I SHOULD be seeing the movie Saturday, I can let you know how heavy the "Controversial Thing" is if that'd help you. Just let me know!)

AMEN TO THIS COMMENT. I would reply to every single thing you said, but it would basically just be me saying the same thing because I totally agree. XD

I was SUPER disappointed when I heard about this, but it sounds like it was just something that they blew out of proportion to gain attention. Which is thoroughly annoying. :P Nevertheless, I still haven't decided whether to see it (I'M TERRIBLE AT DECISIONS. XD), but I don't have an issue with people doing what they want.

Like you said, it's not like we're going to be influenced by the movie. We're firm in our beliefs anyway, so I don't feel at all like seeing B&B would change my opinions. However, if I had younger siblings, it would be more of an issue for something like this.

Yes! Thank you so much! I'm glad you agree! I've seen movies with language, but I totally don't think that using language is okay. SO YES. Just because we see something doesn't mean we agree with it. :)

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR MONSTER COMMENT! I agree with you all the way! (And I'm curious about how you liked the movie. I know it's been a while--sorry!--but what did you think?)

So you're fine with seeing a film that glorifies Stockholm Syndrome and has the main character fall in love with a bear, but you can't handle a scene that does not affect you personally at all and is extremely important and groundbreaking to some people?

I respect your opinion, whether you choose to see it or not. But God created all of us in his image, he chose to make people and he chose to make them gay. Please realise that by keeping this post up, you are essentially cutting off part of your audience, because this matters to us. We are judged by people like you, people who take bible quotes completely out of context and think that a small scene in a movie is the be-all and end-all. Your narrow minded thinking harms people. I know you'll probably delete this comment, but at least think about it. Please.

God created all of us in His image, it's true! But that doesn't mean everything we do is okay. He gave us free will, and that means we get to choose what we do. People choose to 'be gay', and while they can choose that, God did not make them gay.

Please realise that while you are allowed to have your own opinion on homosexuality, that means we are allowed to have our own opinion too. Mary Horton's post was quite tolorant - and I think her target audience was Christians wondering whether or not the movie would be suitable for young children.

Thank you for your comment's respectfulness! :) Tolerance is something that has to go both ways.

(just to start off; I'm on my sister's account, so sorry for any confusion!)

Hi Jem and Tracey!

I agree with you - you are definitely allowed to have your own opinion on homosexuality! I personally do not agree with your opinions, but I do respect them and thank you for your civil comment :) I think Mary did a great job with her post, so I applaud her for that.

Personally, I am bisexual, which means I like girls and boys. This post made me rather sad, as I rather enjoy Mary's blog and this does almost come off as I'm not welcome here, which may come down to me misinterpreting the post.

Your point about God not making people gay is... rather saddening, to be honest. I did not 'choose' to like girls, I have known since the age of five and it's not something that I can swap or discard. It is a part of me. I believe that my Lord chose to make me gay, and whether you agree or not is non of my business.

Again, thank you for your civil response! While I don't agree with it, but it is nice that I'm not instantly attacked :)

I hope I'm not being rude joining in like this, but I just wanted to say I think the main point of Mary's post was to remind us as Christians not to send other Christians on a guilt trip simply because one of us feels like something is wrong to do and the other one does not. We must each take care of our own conscience before God, without shaming others into thinking the same way we do. And that being said, I'm fairly certain Mary would never say you're not welcome here. At least, it seems pretty clear to me that, that was not by any means the intent of this post.

This may sound like a stupid question, but after reading your comment about how you did not 'choose' to like girls, I can't help but wonder...if you could have chosen, would you have chosen not to? Because if so I feel really bad for you as this must have been a struggle for you at some point in your life, and must have been a truly helpless feeling to think that you had no choice in the matter.

Also (and I'm probably going to sound like an old-fashioned weirdo here), but I don't usually think of five-year-old girls being attracted to anyone (boy or girl), and so it makes me wonder...at such a young age did you come to the conclusion of your being bisexual on your own or did someone else tell you it was so? Because if it was someone else feeding that idea into your head, do you think it might be possible that it's not so much the truth of who you are as just what you've been lead to believe about yourself?

I believe God created us male and female. Period. End of story. I agree that girls (and guys) can have feelings of attraction toward someone of the same sex, but I firmly believe that is not the way God created us to be, and that we can overcome it--we can change--if we're willing to let Him work in us. (You'll probably disagree with me on that, but I just wanted you to know that where's I'm coming from.)

I'm sorry if this comment came across as too personal, or offensive in any way. I really did not mean it to be! My heart just kind of broke for you when I read your previous comment because I don't want you to feel unwelcome or uncared for. Because I care about you. (And I really mean that!) And God cares about you, too, and loves you so SO much!!

I'm not sure how familiar you are with the Bible (though I'm guessing you're probably pretty familiar with it since you can tell when people are taking verses out of context), but I just wanted to encourage you to read it. Read it all the way through if you haven't yet. Read it lots and lots. It's God's letter to you, his daughter. And He's got so many wonderful things to tell you. :)

Again, sorry if it was presumptuous of me to chime in like this. Just remember, as human beings we all have our own opinions and we can all be narrow minded at times, but in the end it doesn't matter what other people think of us. Whether they judge us or whether they don't. What matters is what God thinks of us.

Don't worry, I welcome you to our conversation! It's great to have a variety of different voices and opinions here :)

Reading over my comment, I do realise that some stuff comes off a little silly - mainly that I'm not welcome on this blog. While I realise that this is DEFINITELY me misinterpreting the post, I feel that many Christians (not specifically aimed at anyone, btw!) invalidate my sexuality and who I am, so it was just more annoying that there was yet another blog, saying that they don't agree with homosexuality. It's your opinion, and it's a free country, but honestly? What is there in the bible that says I can't love who I want to love? Why do people constantly feel the need to denounce who I am and who I love, because of a few bible sentences? I am not doing anything to affect you by liking girls. It has no impact on your life, and what else is there to disagree with? It's like me telling you constantly over and over again that your favourite author is horrible but it's my opinion. We can disagree on it, but it is bought up OVER and OVER and OVER again until you just get sick of it and go 'can I live my life?!'

I'm honestly so sorry if I come off as rude - that's not my intention at all! But you have to realise that I have to put up with stuff all the time, people going 'how do you know yet?' and 'it's only a phase!' It's tiring.

But yeah, sorry again because I do come off a little harsh. *gives cookies*.

In all honesty, yes, I would. While I didn't word my sentence very well, at the end of the day I like girls and that's that. Even if I was given an option not to, I would because it's my choice, and I just... do. I'm not wording this very well, but yes.

Again, miswording is great! xD What I mean is that I had a fascination with females from a very young age, and whilst I put that down at the time to 'you're just idolizing them' I realised later that it was early traits of me liking girls.

I have to rush the end of this comment, but thank you for talking with me! While we have very different opinions, I enjoyed reading your comment and talking with you :) Have a great day!

I don't want to make this conversation too long since this isn't my blog, but I just wanted to say thank you so much for responding so kindly to my comment. I worry about offending people, so it was a real relief to know I hadn't upset you. :)

I understand why you felt annoyed at finding yet another blog that doesn't agree with homosexuality, 'cause I know for myself I can easily feel let down if someone disagrees with me about something I feel strongly about. It's natural for us to want others to agree with us. In answer to your question, though, I believe the Bible has some very straight forward things to say about who we should and shouldn't love (speaking primarily of romantic type love). I won't quote you passages or anything because that would be taking things out of context and I'm not trying to convince you that I'm right, I just want you to know why Christians speak out against homosexuality. (Some do it for the wrong reasons, I'll grant you, so I'm not speaking for every individual person, but just generally.) As a Christian it is my conviction that the homosexual lifestyle does not promote the health and well-being of those who practice it. It's not the natural way of things. There are often diseases which arise as a result of living that way, and society as a whole would suffer if everyone embraced the homosexual lifestyle because a man with a man and a woman with a woman cannot reproduce. The human race would die out. In a nutshell then, because I believe that God does not approve of this lifestyle--for one reason because it does not promote the health and well-being of His creation--I have to state my opinion on it or be like one who, seeing someone about to fall over a cliff, refuses to reach their hand out to help. It's not because I have anything against homosexuals as people. On the contrary, it's because I care about them and in my mind they're headed on a path of self-destruction, so what else can I do but warn them of it? (This is my own conviction. I'm not saying you have to agree with me. I'm just telling you this so you know where Christians are coming from and may perhaps give them credit for acting--as far as they can--out of the best interests of individuals, and society as a whole.)

Anyway, that was a horrendously long paragraph. Sorry about that. And no worries! You did not come off as harsh or rude. In fact, your comment was most gracious. :) (Thanks for the cookies! :))

I'm afraid I could go on and on about this subject, but I will refrain. (Happy day, right?! Haha.) Thank you so much for bearing with me. And if for some unknown reason you did wish to continue this conversation (like maybe you just really need to tell me that my ideas are ridiculous, haha) I wouldn't object to you emailing me at sunshinycorner@gmail.com, but for now I think we'd better wrap this up because I don't want to overstay my welcome here at Mary's blog. :)

Thank you for talking with me, too. I've enjoyed it. You have a good day as well. :)

Thank you all for being so understanding! I agree with basically everything that these lovely people (Miss March, Tracey, and Jem) said.

Just going to make this clear one more time: you are ALL welcome on my blog, regardless of what you believe. I do think that God calls us to love EVERYONE. I'm terribly sorry if my post came across as judgmental/unwelcoming because that is the opposite of my intentions. Like Miss March said, the main point of my post was really expressing how we shouldn't judge other people based on their decision about whether or not to see this movie. I believe that respecting and loving others is one of the key things missing in our culture. While this is an issue I feel strongly about, I hold no animosity at all towards people who disagree with me.

Thank you all again for being so understanding! Marissa, you're most certainly welcome on my blog! :) *hands you more cookies*

(Okay I'm technically still on Internet break so for the record you never saw me here. Shhhh. xD I just saw the title of this and knew I had to read it haha)

AMEN. I'm basically over here applauding you for having the courage to write and post something like this. I really respect that!! And while I'm not sure I /entirely/ agree with /everything/ here (but let's be real- WHEN HAVE I EVER?? XD), way to go. :D

(Couldn't resist my brilliant post, eh? *smirks* Don't worry, your ninja moves are safe with me. ;) ALSO, WHEN WILL YOU BE BACK? I have to show you my Sour Patch I got for Easter. XD)

THANK YOU, JONNY! It took a lot of willpower to publish this post, I gotta admit. XD Haha, I respect that we don't agree on everything. But to be honest, you never agree with me on everything so I kind of expected it, hehe.

AGREED. Great post, Mary! I completely agree. I do not agree with people who are gay or believe that it is okay to be gay, but I will not put them down and make it seem like they are bad people because I do not agree with them. Thanks for this post!

I wasn't too crazy about the decision either, but I saw the movie last night and there's no explicit homosexuality. There's three five seconds or less moments, but it's not worth boycotting an entire movie over. It's not shove-it-in-your-face homosexuality like in the TV show "Supergirl."

Ah, well, I'm glad to hear that it's implied rather than explicit! I will say, though, that I'm fine with people boycotting the movie, so long as they do so respectfully. The key thing is really just having respect for others. :)

I was so excited for this movie and wanted to take my little brother to go see it opening night (something we rarely do in my family). Needless to say, that was a no-go.

I do think, though, that this whole thing is being blown WAY out of proportion. If the moment is as brief and you-wouldn't-see-it-unless-you-were-looking-for-it as everyone says, I don't think it will bother me.

I realize that the director himself made a statement that made it pretty obvious that it was intentional in this movie, but I also dislike that with the rise of homosexuality in our culture, everyone is now LOOKING for homosexuality - which is so sad, because it's OKAY for two guys to be really close friends, or two girls to be really close, or a guy to look up to and admire another guy. But now it's all, "*gasp* are they gay???" It didn't use to be that way... :(

I know, it was rather disappointing! I can see how it would affect families with younger viewers more. *nods*

Yes, I agree! It sounds like it was just a passing, implied thing--not something worth raising this kind of hubbub. But yes, I think it's fine for people to just form their own decision about whether they feel okay seeing it. :)

SAME. It drives me up the wall when people read into friendships between characters of the same gender too much. Can't they just be friends without being gay? (I think so. ;))

Wow, this is a pretty brave post. Kudos to you for having the guts to write and publish something so controversial. I would have to agree with you that it's an individual's decision to see the film and that no one needs to have their personal walk with God micromanaged. For myself I think that making a big deal about these kinds of things is a little counterproductive, as they are a part of the culture that is probably here to stay whether we like it or not. I think they should be used as springboards for good conversation. Kevin, who hosts the Youtube channel "Say Goodnight Kevin" (and is close friends with the guys from Blimey Cow - if you're familiar with them) did a really great video on the subject and I really agree with what he has to say. Here is a link if you'd like to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj50JvqFE4wThanks for a great post!! :D

Thank you loads, Emily! As I said to other commenters, it wasn't easy to post this. ;)

That's true. A lot of times, we focus too much on making these things a big deal, rather than using it as an opportunity to discuss things with others. That being said, I think standing firm on your convictions is always good. :)

I LOVE BLIMEY COW! Thanks for the video! It was interesting to hear his thoughts on it.

I'm not offended, Mary, you wrote this very well.It was refreshing to hear someone who thought a bit like me--I think so many people are just panicking. I don't think it's necessarily as bad as a lot of people seem to think, but I also know it's very important to choose carefully when it comes to what we fill our minds with. And thank you for the reminder to respect others, that is SO important here. As Christians, we need to respond with love and grace, even when we strongly disagree with people.

I have a hard time seeing it as Disney *supporting* this, while Lefou and Gaston are such obviously bad and disgusting characters. My parents said it was okay if my older siblings and I wanted to watch it, and we'd discuss it. So I'll see how it is. I heard what several other people commented on about Finding Dory, and I heard a similar theory about Zootopia--neither of which I can see any of in the actual movies. So I'm hoping Beauty and the Beast is the same way? Because the trailers looked SO BEAUTIFUL. I was very disappointed when my mom told me about this new development. :(

Thank you for posting about a controversial topic, you handled it very well. I have a lot of respect for that.

Aw, thank you, Hanna! This was a hard thing to talk about, but I'm glad it (mostly) came across as being respectful.

I'd definitely agree with you there. We have to strike a fine balance between using discretion and blowing an issue out of proportion. On top of everything, though, it's important to show God's love to everyone.

SAME HERE! My sister and I were discussing the same thing. I think it's odd that they chose a character like LeFou to make gay. It doesn't seem like a "breakthrough" since he's such a distasteful character. *shrugs* Ah well. Maybe I'll end up seeing the movie sometime, but I don't have nearly as much interest right now.

I DID watch the movie yesterday and I really understand where you're coming from! I believe it was great that you addressed your stance in a polite, respectful way and I hope that everyone appreciates you for doing so <3 Anyway, back to the actual topic!

"Just because I've seen the films doesn't mean I approve of all the content." This is especially true with me and movies I've watched and books I've read!

And I'm still trying to sort out my opinion on the Beauty and the Beast movie. It's getting highly controversial now and I feel like it's great that people are voicing out their opinions but I do hope and pray that everyone else handles criticism and writes/talks/approaches it in a mature manner! :)

Yes! Seeing or reading something does not mean we approve 100% of everything the movie/book says. I believe we should use discretion in what we media we choose to consume, but that's not to say we condone everything in a movie if we see it.

I agree! It's important to share our opinions and hold true to our convictions, but we must do so in a way that shows respect and kindness to others. :)

I have also been wondering whether or not I'll go see the movie... This post (https://www.girldefined.com/beauty-beast-what-else-did-expect) has been helpful for me personally. And I agree, we shouldn't be shaming other Christians for their decision.

First: I apologize for being so absent around here! I need to get back to this lil' corner of sunshine more often. ^_^

Second: I think you handled this issue very well. Very tactfully. *claps* I honestly don't know what to think about the whole thing. On the one hand, Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairytales EVER, and it saddens me that anything like this would be added. On the other, the issue may have been blown out of proportion by the media and the resulting hubbub. I'm planning just to see the movie for myself and draw my own conclusions. But I appreciate your level-headed thoughtfulness here! I understand both those who choose to watch it, and those who defer.

Third: I know you're busy, so only accept this if you WANT to: The Sunshine Blogger Award (appropriately sunshiney for a blog called Sunshine and Scribblings, don't you think?). https://traceydyck.blogspot.ca/2017/03/tag-3-sunshine-blogger-award.html

Don't even apologize! It's been far too long since I've dropped into your lovely blog. I TOTALLY get that life is crazy! Your comments are always so sweet that I cherish every single one of them. <3

Thank you, darling! I'm still wrestling with my decision about whether to see it or not. I don't want to make this a bigger issue than it is, but at the same time, I'm trying to be sure I make a decision that's in alliance with my conscience. :) Overall, my desire to watch it has diminished so I probably will just wait it out.

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I just did the tag yesterday, and it was a blast. :D Here are my answers in case you're interested! Thanks again, dear. <3

My thoughts EXACTLY. I'm not necessarily opposed to watching/reading a story with a gay character(in fact, Downton Abbey, my favorite tv show, features a homosexual). It's just that Disney has thrown it into our laps for celebration and anyone who refuses to throw confetti and rejoice for the advance in diversity is a hater, discriminator, and hypocrite. 0.0

"...let's give each other some respect..." AGREED. :)

One other thing is that Christians' response to the news could easily yield the opposite desired effect. We want to minister to gay people and demonstrate our love and care for them, but wild rejection of a film even touching on gay relations isn't going to help. Sure, I respect everyone who is planning to not watch it, but I also wish we could try to demonstrate more love to those who are in the LGBT community, even without commending their actions(which I don't at all). No wonder Christians are called homophobic. :/

The news makes me sad and a little disgusted, but if the world is to know we are Christians by our love as the Bible says, we should carefully consider our response.

You're welcome! I thought it was important enough that I could conquer my anxiety about addressing a controversial issue. (I don't like conflict so approaching this respectfully was important to me.)

Yes, I agree! It's frustrating that Disney would throw this at us last minute.

YES! :)

Amen to that! I agree that we should ALWAYS reach out to people in love, no matter their opinions. I don't support the LGBT community, but I love them as people, despite our differences. It's sad that some Christians turn off homosexuals by their responses to them.

Agreed! I'm not happy about this addition to the movie, but I'm going to be respectful of others regardless.

Mary, this post is AWESOME. Bravo for writing a controversial post. You did an amazing job. <3 I too am undecided whether to see BatB, but I agree 100% that we should all be extending grace to each other for our convictions on said movie...or any movie.

Now I'm off to continue reading all the other comments because there's a lot of interesting discussion going round here. ;)

I totally agree with what you're saying here!!!! I was so disappointed with Disney when this was announced, however I do think the media rather over-hyped it.

Personally, I am still going to see the movie, since it's a very subtle, and quite honestly on-existent moment. However, the moment Disney decided to make a fully and openly gay character I definitely will be boycotting them.

And thanks for writing this post! You did a good job writing about your thoughts.

Really, this is amazing. I want to say how brave I think you are for writing this.

Your points are so great and I really agree with you. I have watched quite a few movies with bad language, and that doesn't mean I support it. In my reviews I am SUPER picky about that so I really rate the movie down, but there are sometimes good storylines that are really good.

I had been looking forward to Beauty and the Beast since I heard about it first coming out. Sometime in 2015. Then I heard about the gay bit. I was really upset. My sister asked me if I was excited and I said, "No." My sisters had to drag me to the theater. I was really worried about it, but it wasn't as much as I thought it would be. And the movie overall is so beautiful and helped me get a little closer to God (that sounds weird I know). So I definitely reccomend it, but I do not support people being "gay".